Tips That Can Help Divorce Mediation Succeed
February 19, 2016 by West Coast ADR
The divorce mediation process is focused on you and your spouse. The mediator simply helps you work together to find a solution that you’re both happy with so that you don’t have to let a judge make all of the important decisions. Below are a few tips that can help make this process successful.
- Always work hard to be respectful and civil.
- Prepare in advance, perhaps by putting together a list of things that are important to you, ensuring that nothing is overlooked.
- Don’t hand out ultimatums, but be ready for an open discussion where both parties can talk and where compromises are a real possibility.
- Hand over all of the documentation that’s needed regarding the assets you have, and don’t hide anything.
- Be open to creative ideas. It may be hard to find solutions that work, but you have the best chance of finding them if you’re flexible and willing to think outside of the box.
- Try not to make emotional decisions. The mediator can help with this, but both you and your spouse have to do your best to keep emotions out of the discussion.
- When dividing assets, start by telling each other what you want the most. You may find that there are easy starting points, with items you badly want and that your spouse has no interest in. Dividing these first helps to simplify and shorten the process so that you can then work on the items you both desire.
It’s important to have the right mindset and goals when going into mediation in British Columbia, and these tips can help you get the results that you’re after.
Source: Breakup Care Package, “12 Tips to Prepare for Divorce Mediation,” Beth Hemmila, accessed Feb. 19, 2016
The divorce mediation process is focused on you and your spouse. The mediator simply helps you work together to find a solution that you’re both happy with so that you don’t have to let a judge make all of the important decisions. Below are a few tips that can help make this process successful.
- Always work hard to be respectful and civil.
- Prepare in advance, perhaps by putting together a list of things that are important to you, ensuring that nothing is overlooked.
- Don’t hand out ultimatums, but be ready for an open discussion where both parties can talk and where compromises are a real possibility.
- Hand over all of the documentation that’s needed regarding the assets you have, and don’t hide anything.
- Be open to creative ideas. It may be hard to find solutions that work, but you have the best chance of finding them if you’re flexible and willing to think outside of the box.
- Try not to make emotional decisions. The mediator can help with this, but both you and your spouse have to do your best to keep emotions out of the discussion.
- When dividing assets, start by telling each other what you want the most. You may find that there are easy starting points, with items you badly want and that your spouse has no interest in. Dividing these first helps to simplify and shorten the process so that you can then work on the items you both desire.
It’s important to have the right mindset and goals when going into mediation in British Columbia, and these tips can help you get the results that you’re after.
Source: Breakup Care Package, “12 Tips to Prepare for Divorce Mediation,” Beth Hemmila, accessed Feb. 19, 2016